Device for playing game of marbles



April 28, 1953 o. c. MONEAL DEVICE FOR PLAYING GAME OF MARBLES Filed May21, 1951 INVENTOR. Ora Carl McNeal Patented Apr. 28,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a marble game, and in particular relates to adevice upon which the game of marbles is played.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved device foramusement, by which the game of marbles may be played indoors, as on aliving room rug, without the marbles becoming a nuisance underfoot.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed, including a marble-shooting surface area and improved meansfor effectively retrieving marbles shot therefrom, and by which themarbles will not be deflected away from the device or back onto saidsurface area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed wherein said retrieving means is readily removable, as forwashing or replacement.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a marble game constructed in accordancewith the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantially onthe line 33 of Figure 1, and oppositely corresponding to the right handportion of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral Ill designates a marble-playingtable, including a flattopped board I l of wood, fiberboard, hardplastic, or like rigid material, the board being shown as circular andbeing supported by a plurality of relatively short supporting blocks orlegs l2, l2 secured to the underside of the same. The blocks l2 arearranged in peripherally spaced relation closely adjacent the marginaledge portion of the board ll.

Removably mounted on the table ID, to surround the same, may be amarble-deflecting shield l3 of shock-absorbent material, providing alsoan annular trough M for retrieving marbles shot from the table. Theshield 13 may, for example, be a wide band of soft, flexible fabrichaving opposite or inner and outer edges l5 and I6 thereof hemmed overbands of elastic or yieldingly expansible material. Thus, the inner edgeportion of the shield is yieldingly expandible within recesses l1, I!provided in the outwardly presented portions of the blocks [2 and theouter edge portion I6 is similarly expandible within retaining recessesl8 of attaching portions I!) at the upper end of a plurality ofperipherally spaced supports 20, 20 secured to the underside of theboard I l. Each support 20 may be formed of relatively stifl wire toprovide an eyelet 2| at one end for reception of a suitable bolt 22(Figure 3) extended from the underside of the board, the wire beinglooped downwardly from said eyelet to a point substantially below thetop surface of the board and reversed upwardly to a terminal endsubstantially above said surface, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, saidterminal end being formed into a relatively small loop providing saidattaching portion IQ for the shield. The recess I 8 opens radiallyoutwardly of the table and may off-set downwardly as shown to assurefirm retention of the edge of the shield therein. The arrangement issuch that the flexible shield is conformed around the underside of saidspaced supports, thereby to provide the annular trough M of substantialdepth. Sufiicient room is provided between the outer wall I 3a of theshield and the peripheral edge of the table top H to enable players toposition the hands for knuckling the marbles at said edge withoutsubstantial interference.

A suitable cover 24 may be applied to the table top I l to simulate asnearly as possible the usual surface conditions under which marbles areplayed outdoors, as for example on hard but even dirt. To this end thecover 24 may be of canvas duck, or a thinner cloth layer 25 upon a thinlayer 26 of vulcanized foam rubber, as best shown in Figure 3.

In use of the device each player, for example, may first place a. givennumber of marbles 21 in a center ring 28 marked upon the playing area.Then the players take turns shooting at these marbles with shooters inaccordance with known rules. If desired a foul line or circle 29 may beprovided just inside the outer edge of the top I I, beyond which theplayers must not place their hands for any shot. Marbles shot from thetable in this manner with any substantial degree of force are deflectedfrom the outer wall l3a of the shield I3 into the trough M where theyare easily retrieved by the players who win the same. Although theshield extends above the table top a suflicient distance to catch themarbles eifectively, the elastic top on the shield may be engaged by theplayers arms or wrists while shooting marbles, thereby providing a,maximum of freedom of action in playing the game.

The shield is easily removable as for washing, repair, or replacement,by expanding the elastic edge portions out of the retaining recesses 11and 18 in the blocks I2 and supports 20, respectively. It is alsocontemplated that the supports 2E1 may be of springy material, such asflat or round spring steel, in order to support the shield and yet beyielding to the weight of a child or equivalent pressure.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope ofthe appended claims.

Whatis claimed is:

1. In a game device used with marbles or similar playing pieces, thecombination with a table having a flat upper playing surface ofsubstantially broad lateral area, of peripherally spaced supportingelements attached to said table to extend therefrom unobstructedly ofsaid playing surface, said supporting elements having thereon attachingportions to be spaced radially outwardly of the peripheral edge of saidtable and at points substantially above the plane of said playingsurface, and an annular shield of relatively thin, flexible materialattached to said elements to extend in loosely draped condition betweensaid attaching portions and said table to provide a pocket surroundingsaid peripheral edge of the table for receiving said playing pieces,

2. In a game device used with marbles or similar playing pieces, thecombination with a table having a flat upper playing surface ofsubetantially broad lateral area and having retaining recesses belowtheperipheral edge of the playing surface, peripherally spacedsupporting eleinents attached to said table below said playing surfaceto extend outwardly and unobstructedly of the same, said supportingelements having thereon recessed attaching. portions presented radiallyoutwardlyof said peripheral edge of said table and at points spacedsubstantially above the plane of said playing surface, and an annularshield attached between said table and said attaching portions of saidelements'in loosely draped condition to provide a pocket surroundingsaid peripheral edge of the table for receiving said playing piecesplayed therefrom, said shield being a band 4 of relatively soft,flexible sheet material, and having yieldingly expansible inner andouter continuous marginal edge portions, said inner and outer marginaledge portions being yieldingly receivable in said recesses of the tableand said elements, for said attachment of the shield.

3. In a game device used with marbles or similar playing pieces, thecombination with a table having a fiat upper playing surface ofsubstantially broad lateral area, of a continuous shield of relativelythin, flexible material, shield-supporting means attached to said tablebelow said playing surface and having terminal portions t be spacedradially outwardly of the peripheral edge of said table and at pointsupwardly terminating substantially above said playing surface, the spacebetween said attaching portions, and said peripheral edge of the tablebeing free and unobstructed to a substantial depth below the plane ofsaid playing surface, and means for mounting said shield to extendbetween said terminal portions and the table at points below the saidplaying surface thereof to have the shield loosely draped in the form ofpockets of substantial depth surrounding said peripheral edge forreceiving said playing pieces, said shield being substantially free andunobstructed above the outer peripheral edge thereof and said outerperipheral edge being at a height above said playing surface permittingthe marble players arms to extend toward the peripheral edge of theplaying surface at a convenient angle for playing marbles.

ORA C. MCN'EAL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 694,121 Vaughan Feb. 25, 1902 1,036,238 I-ljort Aug. 20, 19121,099,419 Beatty June 9, 1914 1,370,171 Velasco Mar. 1, 1921 1,579,730Nelson Apr. 6, 1926 2,313,701 White Mar, 9, 1943

